Which Beat poet wrote the poem “Bomb,” a long meditation on nuclear warfare?

Gregory Corso wrote “Bomb,” a long poem that meditates on nuclear warfare.

First published in 1958, “Bomb” is one of Corso’s best-known works. The poem is arranged visually around the shape of a mushroom cloud, turning the page itself into part of the argument. Its language mixes fear, absurdity, satire, and wonder rather than presenting a straightforward political speech.

Corso was a central member of the Beat circle and became known for inventive, sometimes comic treatments of serious subjects. His poetry frequently combines classical references, street language, surreal imagery, and sudden shifts in tone. “Bomb” reflects the Cold War atmosphere in which nuclear destruction had become a constant public anxiety.

The poem is often attributed to Allen Ginsberg because Ginsberg was the most publicly prominent Beat poet and a close friend of Corso. Ginsberg did not write “Bomb”; Corso did. The two poets frequently appeared together in readings and anthologies, which contributed to the confusion.